for the profession of the Gospell that now hauing gotten the vpper hand of your miseries you would not suffer the followers of Arminius to make your actions an example for them to proclaime to the world that wicked Doctrine of the Apostasie of the Saints It is all worthy of deepe consideration and among if not aboue the rest 1. The opinion that this great and wise King had of this Doctrine of The Apostasie of the Saints Hee saith of a booke so intituled The Title â—…re enough to make it worthy the fire And he callâ—… him Hereticke and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that published this booke The booke also Hee termeth A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Apostasie of the Saintâ—… And by his Ambassadour He calls it That wicked Doctrine of the Apostasie of the Saints 2. What agreement this booke and Doctrine had with the Doctrine of the Church of England Here of the King saith Hee was shamelesse to maintaine in his letter to the Arch bishop that the Doctrine contained in his booke was agreeable with the Doctrine of the Church of England And againe A letter wherein he is not ashamed as also in his booke to lye so grossely as to auow that his Heresies contained in the said booke are agreeable with the Religion and profession of our Church of England 3. The dangers that arise from this kinde of Doctrine Arminius left behinde him a distraction in the State And you cannot expect any other issue thereof then the curse of God infamy throughout all Reformed Churches and a perpetuall rent and distraction in the whole Body of your State 4. The councell that was both taken and giuen hereupon It was high time to bestirre our selues when as this Gangreene had not onely taken hold on our neerest Neighbours but did also begin to creepe into the bowels of Our owne Kingdome And For these respects therefore haue Wee cause enough very hartily to request you to root out with speed these Heresies and Schismes which are beginning to bud forth amongst you I may adde hereunto the Doctrine of the Articles of the Church of Ireland which fitly may here be inserted as both looking to King Iames vnder whose Authority and protection it came forth and was maintained and looking to the Doctrine of the Church of England since it were an intollerable and impudent iniury to the wisdome and religious knowledge of those times to say that betweene them there was not a harmonie All Gods elect are in their time inseparably vnited vnto Article of Ireland Num. 33. Christ by the effectuall and vitall influence of the Holy Ghost deriued from Him as from the Head vnto euery true member of his Mysticall Body A true liuely iustifying Faith and the sanctifying Num. 38. Spirit of God is not extinguished nor vanisheth away in the Regenerate either finally or totally THE DOCTRINE OF THE Church of England for Certaintie of Saluation THe Church of England teacheth the certaintie of Saluation and she hath done it so constantly and and generally that it will be very hard to produce any one of her Sonnes that durst before very late dayes to affirme and defend to the contrary by any publike worke and writing Shee hath taught this Certaintie by her owne Articles Shee hath re-enforced it by an exposition of Her Articles it hath beene explained and enlarged by Articles of Lambeth it hath beene taught by Her most eminent Sonnes the Reverend Fathers the Bishops of this Church and the Professors of Divinitie who are trusted by her to deliver her true thoughts and Tenents in Divinitie to her children And wee see that it hath also beene sealed vp and settled in Articles of the Church of Ireland betweene which Church and the Church of England to make a contraritie and opposition is a thing of extreame danger and absurditie And first for her owne Articles In the Article of Praedestination our Church teacheth the Certaintie of Saluation diuers wayes One way by making Saluation to depend on such a constant and sure Election that it bringeth the Elect constantly to Salvation A constant Decree of Election brings the Saints constantly assuredly through the way of Saluation vnto the wayes end even Salvation it selfe This constant bringing of the Elect to Saluation wee may finde in these words God hath constantly Decreed by his Counsell secret to Article 17. vs to deliuer from Curse and damnation those whom hee hath chosen in Christ out of Man-kinde and to bring them by Christ to euerlasting Saluation From hence is it plaine and easie to argue Those whom God hath constantly Decreed to bring to Salvation they are constantly and certainly brought to Saluation But here God hath constantly Decreed to bring his Elect to Saluation Therefore the Elect of God are constantly and certainely brought to Saluation And that this bringing to Salvation is not in the wayes end only but in the way it selfe the particulars by which the Elect are brought to Salvation plainly shew which are to follow in the next consideration But here by the way let vs note that this bringing to Salvation by a constant and certaine Decree carries with it a certaine and assured Salvation even by the confession of the Enemies of it For in this very respect because it induceth a certaine and constant Salvation they reiect it as that which crosseth their inconstancie and mutabilitie of Salvation This Doctrine of certaintie crosseth their doctrine of Incertaintie and therefore their doctrine of incertaintie crosseth and reiecteth this doctrine of Certainty For well they know that it must be a certaine Saluation which is wrought and brought to passe by a constant and absolute Decree of Election Therefore to plant this Apostacie and that men though Elected may haue leaue to fall from Saluation if they will they make an Election which followâ—…th a man vpon the condition of his sore-seene perseverance So that as in the doctrine of our Church a constant Decree of Election constantly bringing to Salvation must needs withall giue a finall perseverance in the state of grace their Doctrine not enduring this constant perseuerance and saluation issuing from a constant Decree of Election haue deuised an Election that waites vpon man to see whether hee will giue to himselfe finall perseuerance by his owne Free-will An Election by which no man is actually Elected vntill hee be no man that is vntill hee be parted the soule from the body But as I said before our Doctrine may be knowne to be a Doctrine of Certaintie that doth oppose and reiect this falling away because the fallers away doe oppose and reiect it there being indeed an incompatibility betweene a constant Decree that brings men constantly to Saluation and a dependant and contingent Decree that waites on mans vncertaine Will to see whether his will will finally perseuer and so bring his owner to Election A second way by which our Church teacheth the certaintie of Saluation in this Article is this Because shee sayeth the same grounds
whether he would vse his grace well and beleeue the Gospell or no and as hee saw a man affected so did praedestinate chuse or refuse him But the Analysis it selfe plainely according to the Article rectifieth this disorder and makes Iustification Sanctification and Glorification to flow from Praedestination so that Praedestination depends not on them Diuers be the effects of Praedestination but chiefely 7. Proposition it bringeth to the elect Iustification by Faith in this life and in the life to come Glorification alwayes a conformitie to the Image of the only begotten Sonne of God both in suffering here and inioying immortall glorie hereafter The heauenly wisedome of our Church in this point is so fully and plainely expressed by her selfe that shee needes not to bee iustified of her children yet ex abundanti I adde one or two Testimonies but first admonishing the Reader to take notice of the Doctrine of the Church of Ireland before set downe and withall to beware that hee thinke not two Doctrines to bee taught in these Churches but one Before Augustines time many great and worthy Doctor Field of the Church lib. 3. cap. 9. Prelates and Doctors of the Church not hauing occasion to enter into the exact handling of that pâ—…t of Christian Doctrine did teach that men are Predestinate for the fore-sight of some things in themselues And Augustine himselfe in the beginning of the conflicts with the Pelagians was of opinion that at the least for the foresight of Faith men are Elected to Eternall life which afterward he disclaymed as false and erroneous and taught that mans saluation dependeth on the efficacie of that grace which God giueth and not his purpose of sauing vpon the incerâ—…tainty of mans will This Doctrine of Augustine was receiued and confirmed in the Church against the Pelagians and Semi-pelagians Thus is our Doctrine the Doctrine of the Church vpon aduise and due examination the other Doctrine is the errour of those that had not duely entred into the exact handling of this point Now to follow an errour when the truth is vpon due tryall cleared and brought to light brings that sentence to passe which Vincent Liâ—…m cap. 11. Lirmensis pronounceth Absoluuntur Magistri condemnantur discipuli The Masters are freed and the Schollers are condemned For the one erred by infirmitie and wanting the occasion of not-erring the others erre out of more wilfulnesse and stumble in the day time hauing a faire occasion of not-erring of not-stumbling Doctor Fr White Deane of Carlile acknowledgeth the Doctrine of St. Augustine to bee the Doctrine of the Church of England in these words Although our Tenet concerning Praedestination bee no Reply to Fisher. pag. 275. other then Saint Austin and his Schollers maintained against the Pelagians Now Saint Austins opinion is presently to appeare in his owne words as defore it hath beene shewed by Doctor Field And in the point of Free-will we shall see that the most learned and iudicious King IAMES yeelds this consent by name to the same Saint Augustine Thus is there a perfect harmonie betweene this great King the Church of England and the Catholicke Church which that wee may more euidently see on the part of the Catholicke Church behold here what shee teacheth by her chiefe Fathers Doctors and Teachers THE DOCTRINE OF THE Catholicke Church concerning Election or Praedestination taught by the Fathers and subscribed by Doctors and Schoole-men NVm putatis ô Viri nos unquam haec in Scripturis Iustin Martyr Dial cum Tryph. Iud. intelligere potuisse c. Doe you thinke O men that wee could euer haue vnderstood these things in the Scriptures except wee had receiued grace by the will of God who willed that wee should vnderstand these things of which grace you being destitute that is the Iewes haue vnderstood none of them that it might be fulfilled which is taught by Moses They haue prouoked me by strange Gods c. And I will prouoke them by that which is no Nation Dialog cum Tryph. Nos elegit Deus c. And againe God Elected vs and was made manifest to them that sought him not Behold saith hee I am the God of a Nation which God anciently promised to Abraham when hee told him that he should be the Father of many Nations Elegit Deus non natura c. God did Elect not those Iraneuâ—… lib. â—… cap. 34. that are better by nature but those that are worse Id. lib. 3. cap. 33. Praedestinaâ—…it Deus c. God Predestinated the first naturall man that he should be saued by the spirituall man And hee proues his saluation to be necessaey Cap. 38. Neque ad hoc pretijs aut ambitu c. Neither is there Cyprian 〈◊〉 Mors. need of money industry and mans hand that mans chiefest dignitie or power should be gotten by some excellent worke but it is the free and ready gift of God As freely as the Sunne shineth the Fountaine watereth the showre moystneth so doth the heauenly Spirit Powre it selfe into vs. Iacobus Apostolus docuis c. Iames the Apostle Athanaesius Cent. Arrian 4. hath taught Of his owne will begate hee vs by the word of truth therefore of all the regenerate yea and of all that by creation were generated it is the will of God by the word of God that doth create and regenerate whatsoeuer pleaseth him Quoniam animarum Medicus c. Because the Physitian Hillary in Psal. 48. of soules came not to call the iust but sinners to repentance therefore hee ORDAINED that whatsoeuer was worst in euery company should bee soonest CALLED The worst of all men that inhabite the earth were the Heathen and they are preferred first to be Called Non volentis c. Perseuerance is not in him that Ambrose in Psal. 118. Serm. 10. willeth nor in him that runneth For it is not in the power of man but in God that sheweth Mercie that thou shouldst be able to accomplish that which thou hast begun Et si longe est à peccatoribus salus c. And againe Though saluation befarre from the wicked yet let 〈◊〉 Serm. 20. no man despaire because many bee the Mercies of God Those that by their owne sinnes are perishing by the Mercie of God are freed I will haue mercie saith he on whom I will haue mercie He hath appeared plainely to them that sought him not he hath called those that fled from him Non eliguntur Paulus c. Paul and those which are Hierrme ad Ruffin lib. 1. like him are not Elected because they were holy and vnspotted but they are Elected and Praedestinated that in their liues afterward in good-workes and vertues they might be holy and vnspotted But though before this time the Fathers had not clearely discouered nor deliuered the Doctrine of Praedestination it ought to be no preiudice to the Doctrine For What need is there that we should bee driuen to Austin de praedest
TESTIS VERITATIS 〈…〉 KING JAMES 〈…〉 OF THE 〈…〉 OF ENGLAND OF THE CATHOLICKE CHVRCH Plainely shewed to bee ONE 〈◊〉 the points of 〈◊〉 Free will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With a discouery of the Grounds Naturall Politicke of ARMINIANISME By F. ROVS Printed at London by W. I. 1626. To the Reader HAuing heard of a publike declaration Doctor Palcaâ—…quell in his Coâ—…cio ad 〈◊〉 Febr. 27. made by a reuerend and right worthy Diuine of his Most Excellent Majesties Resolution and Decree to oppose Arminianisme I thought it a fit time to put in order some pieces which being set together might amount to an euident Proofe and Testimonie that his Maiestie herein hath merited most glorious and incomparable Titles euen such as haue in them the Weight and Substance of High and supreame Excellencie For first herein Hee is the Successor of his Father as in Bloud and Royalty so in his excellent Thoughts Designes and Actions for this is a proceeding and going on in the same worke wherein the most learned King and absolute Iudge of Doctrines began a most noble Foundation His zeale in this matter would not bee bounded with the seas but on the wings of an heauenly fire flying beyond them it there consumed the fifties and their Captaines it dissolued the Bands of the Enemies of the truth Secondly herein the Title of Nursing Father of the Church a Title giuen to Religious Kings by the heauenly Oracles more strongly fastneth and spreadeth the Roote of it So that at once the same Person hereby acquireth the Dignitie both of a perfect Sonne and a glorious Father When the Doctrine of a Church is cherished the life of a Church is cherished and when a contrary Doctrine is opposed then the Doctrine of a Church is cherished Thirdly hereby the Title of Defender of the Faith hath still more Realitie put into it and it is made more vnlike to those empty Titles that haue the Word without and not the matter within Each of these I hope shall appeare in that which followeth For though it consists of many seuerall pieces like vnto broken accounts yet I hope being all set together they will arise to make vp the promised summes both in weight and number F. R. The Doctrine of Predestination deliuered and approued by King IAMES our late Soueraigne of Famous MEMORY GOd hath two wills a reuealed will towards vs Medit. on the Lords prayer and that will is here vnderstood hee hath also a secret will in his eternall counsell whereby all things are gouerned and in the end made euer to turne to his glory often-times drawing good effects out of bad causes and lightout of darknesse to the fulfilling either of his Mercy or Iustice c. The first Article of the Apostles Creed teacheth vs that God is Almightie how euer Vortius and the Arminians thinke to rob him of his eternall Decree and secret will making things to bee done in this world whither he will or not Wee doubt not but that their Ambassadors which Declar against Vorstius were with vs about two yeares since did informe them of a fore-warning that we wished the said Ambassadors to make vnto them in Our name to beware in time of seditious and hereticall Preachers and not to suffer any such to creepe into their state Our principall meaning was of Arminius who though himselfe were lately dead yet had he left too many of his disciples behinde him Wee had well hoped that the corrupt seed which that Ibid. enemy of God Arminius did sow amongst you some few yeares since whose disciples and followers are yet too bold and frrequent within your Dominions had giuen you a sufficient warning afterwards to take beede of such infected persons seeing your owne Countrey-men already diuided into factions vpon this occasion a matter so opposite to vnitie which is indeed the onely prop and safety of your state next vnder God as of necessitie it must by little and little bring you to vtter ruine if wisely you doe not prouide against it and that iâ—… time Thus while his Maiestie is an enemie to the enemies of Praedestination he is a friend and protector to that Doctrine whose enemies he doth oppose The Articles of Ireland agreed on in his Maiesties Articl agreed on anno 1615. Raigne cannot bee thought to containe any other Doctrine but such as was approued by his Maiestie In them we reade The cause mouing God to praedestinate to life is not Num. 15. the fore-seeing of faith or perseuerance or good works or of any thing which is in the person praedestinated but ONLY the good pleasure of good himselfe For all things being ordained for the manifestation of his Glory and his Glory being to appeare both in the workes of his Mercie and of his Iustice It seemed good to his heauenly wisdome to chuse out a certaine number towards whom hee would extend his vndeserued Mercy leauing the rest to bee spectacles of his Iustice. And that wee may yet more punctually know this Doctrine there allowed by Him to bee verily his owne Doctrine we reade thus from his owne Dictates God drawes by his effectuall Grace out of that at Medit on the Lords prayer tainted and corrupt masse whom hee pleaseth for the worke of his Mercy leauing the rest to their owne wayes which all leade to perdition Praedestination and Election dependeth not vpon Conference at Hampt Court any Qualities Actions or Workes of Man which bee mutable but vpon God his eternall and immutable Decree and Purpose THE DOCTRINE OF THE Church of England concerning Praedestination PRaedestination to life is the euerlasting purpose of Article 1â—… God whereby before the foundation of the world was laid hee hath constantly decreed by his counsell secret to vs to deliuer from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankinde and to bring them by Christ vnto euerlasting saluation as vessels made to honour wherefore they that be indued with so excellent a benefite of God bee called according to Gods purpose by his spirit working in due season they through grace obey that calling they be iustified freely they be made sonnes of God by adoption they be made like the image of his onely begotten Sonne Iesus Christ they walke religiously in good workes and at length by Gods mercie they attaine to euerlasting Felicitie Vpon the Articles of the Church of England Master Rogers Chaplaine to Arch-Bishop Banâ—… See the Epistle Dedicatorie where hee affirmeth these propositions to be maintained by the Church of England there is set forth an Analysis of these Articles resoluing them into propositions which propositions he saith are maintained and approued by the authority of the Church of England and this Analysis vpon this Article of Praedestination thus inferreth Hereby is discouered the impiety of thâ—…se meâ—…â—…hich thinke that mâ—…n doth make himselfe eligible for the â—… Proposition kingdome of heauen And that God beheld in euery man
by free Mercie nor damne none but by most righteous Iustice. But why hee saues or not saues this man rather than that man let him search who will looke into the great depth of Gods iudgements but withall let him take heed that hee fall not downe head-long Ius meum voluntas est Iudicis c. My right is the Bernard in Cant. Serâ—… 14. will of the Iudge What more Iust for Merit What more rich for reward May not he doe what he will Mercie indeed is shewed to me but to thee is done no iniurie Take that which is thine and goe thy way If he haue Decreed to saue me also why wilt thou destroy me Talke what thou wilt of thy Merits extoll thy labours the Mercie of God is better then life P. Lombard oâ—… Master of Sentences lib. 1. Dist. 41 D. Plegit eos quos voluit gratuitâ Misericordia c. God Elected whom he pleased by free Mercie not because they would be faithfull but that they might be faithfull And hee gaue them grace not because they were faithfull but that they might bee For the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7. I obtained Mercie that I might bee faithfull He saith not because I was faithfull Grace is indeed giuen to the faithfull but it is also giuen first that he may be faithfull So also he reprobated whom he pleased not for any future merits yet by a most true Iustice though hidden from our eyes Manifestum est quòd id quod est gratiae c. It is manifest Thomas Aquinaâ—… part 1. q. 23. art 5. that Grace is an effect of Praedestination and that cannot bee put as a cause of Praedestiuation which is shut vp vnder Predestination God would shew his goodnesse on some whom he Praedestinated in sparing them by way of Mercie and on those whom hee Reprobateth in punishing by way of Iustice. And this is the reason why he chuseth some and reprobateth others But why hee chuseth these vnto glory and reprobateth those there is no reason to be giuen but the will of God Non est talis causa prohibens c. There is no such Bradwarden the profound De Causa Dei lib. 1. cap. 39. cause either forbidding the will of God or causing it by which an answer may be giuen why hee loued this man or hated that man Vocetur Praedestinatio bonorum c. Let the Praedestination Id lib. 2. cap. 45. of the good bee absolutely called Praedestination and the Praedestination of the euill Reprobation And then Praedestination may be thus described Praedestination is an euerlasting fore appointment of finall Grace in the way and euerlasting happinesse in the Countrey or home to the reasonable creature by the will of God Hic quartâ—… concludit quod vtramque c. Hee concludes Gorran in Rom. 9. that both Election and Reprobation dependeth on Gods good pleasure saying Therefore hee hath Mercy on whom he will c. Because freely hee hath loued Iacob and reiected Esau hee hath Mercie on whom hee will by giuing Grace and hee hardneth whom hee will not by imparting wickednesse but by not giuing Grace Whereupon Saint Austin As the Sunne in departing farre from the earth doth harden Ice not by imparting coldnesse but by not giuing heate Ago sum qui cunctos condidi Sanctos c. I am hee Thomas Campensis de Imit Christi lib. 2. cap. 63. that made all Saints I gaue them Grace I bestowed glorie I know all their good workes I preuented them in the blessings of my sweetnesse I fore knew my beloued before all ages I Elected them out of the world and they did not prae-elect mee I called them by Grace I drew them by Mercy I led them through manifold tentations I powred into them glorious consolations I gaue them perseuerance c. I am to be blessed and honoured in them all whom I haue so highly glorified and Praedestinated without any foregoing good workes of their owne Gratia Praedestination is in divinis literis c. The Cassander endâ—… in the end of this Doctrine Câ—…nsult Art 18. Grace of Praedestination is so greatly commended in the word of God and Ecclesiasticall writers That those who are indued with Faith in Christ and with good workes springing from that Faith may not ascribe these things to themselues but vnto God and to the Grace of his diuine Praedestination and Flection and so may glory in the Lord and not in themselues The Doctrine of King IAMES concerning Free-Will and effectuall Grace THe only way for enabling vs to doe it viz. the will Medit on the Lorde prayer of God is by our earnest prayer to God that he will enable vs to doe it according to that of Saint Augustine Da Domine quod iubes iube quod vis And lead vs not into Tentation the Arminians cannot Ibid. but mislike the frame of this petition for I am sure they would haue it And suffer vs not to be led into tentation c. Saint Augustine is the best decider of this question to whom I remit me The Reader is referred in the margent to Saint Augustine thus Aug de Praedestinatione Sanctorum De dono perseuerantiae contra Pelagianos passim alibi Now Saint Augustines Doctrine of Free-will is shortly to follow Our next generall petition is That his Kingdome may Ibid. come c. That in the meanetime his will may bee done on earth as it is in Heauen The effect which the Kingdome of Heauen in this Earth will produce The nature of man through the transgression of our Declar. against Vorstius first parents hath lost Free-will and retayneth not now any shadow thereof sauing an inclination to euill those only excepted whom God of his meere Grace hath sanctified and purged from this Originall Leprosie It sufficeth vs to know that Adam by his fall lost his Meditation on the Lord prayer Free-will both to himselfe and all his posteritie so as the best of vs all hath not one good thought in him except it come from God who drawes by his effectuall Grace out of that attaynted and corrupt masse whom hee pleaseth for the worke of his Mercie The Doctrine of the Church of England concerning Free-will THe condition of man after the fall of Adam is such Article 10. that hee cannot turne and prepare himselfe by his owne naturall strength and good workes to Faith and calling vpon God Wherefore wee haue no power to doe good workes pleasant and acceptable to God without the grace of Godby Christ preuenting vs that wee may haue a good will and working with vs when wee haue that good will Here wee see first the seruitude of the Will vnder sinne in the state of naturall corruption There is an impossibilitie of turning and preparing by naturall strength and secondly the power of Grace on the Will in conuerting it the Grace of God by Christ doth so effectually preuent vs that it makes
Bernard de lib. arb gra my words but the Apostles who attributes all the good that may possibly be vnto God and not to his owne Will euen to thinke to will and to doe If then God worketh these three things in vs that is to thinke good to will it and to performe it he worketh in vs the first indeed without vs the second with vs and the third by vs. For by sending in a good thought he preuenteth vs by changing our wicked Will hee ioynes it to him by consent and by giuing power to our consent this inward WORKER shewes himselfe outwardly in our manifest worke Post peccatum ante reparationem c. After sinne and â—… Lombard lib. 2 dist 25 Ex Hug. de S. Vict. before the restoring of Grace the Will is oppressed and ouercome of concupiscence and is weake in euill and hath no grace in good and therefore it can sinne and it cannot chuse but sinne and that damnably Operans Gracia est quae praeuenit c. Working or Id. lib. 2. dist 26. â—… operating Grace is that which preuenteth the good Will For by it the Will of man is freed and prepared that it may bee good and that effectually it may will good But cooperating Grace followeth the Will when it is good in helping it Gracia Dei mecum ostendit vt spepo quòd ipsa est causa Bradwarden de causa Dei lib. 1. cap. 40. efficiens c. The Grace of God with mee I hope will shew that Grace is properly the efficient cause of euery good act I meane Grace freely giuen which is an habite poured into the soule freely by God Vertue and chiefly the chiefest vertue Grace of Charity is no selfe EFFECTVALL than Vice But Vice effecteth euill acts wherefore Grace or Charity effecteth good acts And that I may say nothing of vices morally gotten who doth not know who doth not feele what acts one Radicall vice effecteth that law of the members that tyrant of nature that source of sinne Concupisence or the lustfullnesse of our flesh which also the Doctors often call Originall sinne A witnesse hereof is experience too common too forceable A witnesse also is the Apostle when hee saith I am carnall sold vnder sinne for what I doe I allow not For I doe not that which I would but that which I hate that I doe Seeing then that lust is so violent so effectuall so manifoldly actuous how doth Charity represse diminish and ouercome it if she doe nothing at all if she moue nothing at all if shee be altogether idle Qua Gratia non noua Voluntas creatur c. By which Grace there is not created a new will neither is the Cassander Consulâ—… Art 18â—… will inforced being vnwilling but the will being sicke is healed being depraued is rectified and is changed from euill into good And by an inward kinde of motion is drawne that of vnwilling it may become willing and may freely consent to the Diuine calling and afterward the same Grace cooperating it may obey the will of God and by the same Grace perseuering in good workes may also through the same Grace enter into the inheritance of the heauenly Kingdome This Doctrine of the Grace of God and Free-will the sounder Schoole men strongly defended against the Pelagians among whom was Thomas Brauarden or Bradwarden called in his time the profound Doctor who wrote an excellent worke which he calleth a summe against Pelagianisme increasing in his dayes And how much many of them did attribute to Grace Bonauenture alone may testifie This saith he is the dutie of godly mindes that they attribute nothing to themselues but all to the grace of God wherein how much soeuer a man doth giue to the Grace of God hee shall not depart from pietie though by giuing much to the Grace of God hee take away something from the power of Nature or Free-will But when something is taken away from the Grace of God and that is giuen to Nature which belongs to Grace there may be danger THE DOCTRINE OF King IAMES concerning the Certaintie of Saluation and against the Apostacy or falling away of the Saints ABout the same time one Beâ—…tius a Scholler of the late Declar. against Vorstiue Arminius who was the first in our Age that infected Leyden with herisie was so impudent as to send a letter vnto the Arch-bishop of Canterbury with a booke intitâ—…led de Apostasia Sanctorum And not thinking it sufficient to auow the sending of such a booke the Title whereof onely were enough to make it worthy the fire hee was moreouer so shamelesse as to maintaine in his letter to the Arch bishop that the Doctrine contained in his booke was agreeable with the Doctrine of the Church of England Let the Church of Christ then iudge whether it was not high time for Vs to bestirre Our selues when at this Gangrene had not only taken hold amongst Our neerest Neighbours so â—… Non solùm paries proximus iam ardebat not onely the next house was on fire but did also beg in to creege into the bowels of Our owne Kingdome It is true that it was Our hard hap not to heare of this Arminius before hee was dead and that all the Reformed Churches of Germanie had with open mouth complained of him But as soone as Wee vnderstood of that distraction in your State which after his death hoc left behinde him Wee did not faile taking the opportunitie when your last extraordinary Ambassadors were here with Vs to vse some such speaches vnto them concerning this matter as We thought fittest for the good of your State and which Wee doubt not but they haue faithfully reported vnto you For what need Wee make any question of the Aâ—…gancy of these Hereticks or rather Atheisticall Sectaries 〈◊〉 you when one of them at this present remaining in your Towne of Leyden hath not onely presumed to publish of late a blasphemous booke of the Apostasie of the Saints but hath besides beene so impudent as to send the other day a copie thereof as a gâ—…odly present to our Arch-bishop of Canterbury together with a letter wherein hee is not ashamed as also in his booke to lye so grossely as to 〈◊〉 that his Heresies contained in the said booke are agreeable with the Religion and profession of the Church of England For these respects therefore haue wee cause enough very hartily to request you to roote out with speed those Heresies and Schismes which are beginning to bud forth amongst you which if you suffer to haue the Reynes any longer you cannot expect any other issue thereof then the curse of God infamy throughout all the Reformed Churches and a perpetuall rent and distraction in the whole Body of your State His Maiestie doth exhort you seeing you haue heretofore â—…id taken Armes for the libertie of your Consciences and haue so much indured in a violent and bloudie warre the space of fortie yeeres
that is stronger then hee And indeed this is the very cause of our ouer comming if we beleeue S. Iohn Because 1 Ioh. 4. â—… hee that is in vs is greater then hee that is in the world Therefore Gods constant loue is still to bee lookt vnto as the only cause of our safetie which keepes our wills by grace against these ouer-mightie enemies and wretched were wee if our wills were put to keepe themselues by grace For then if we were but as Adam these principalities and powers would prevaile with vs as with Adam especially having a body of sinne about vs which hee had not But the only cause of our standing against these principalities vnder whom Adam fell is the constant loue and purpose of God By that as S. Paul saith We are more then 2 Cor. 1. 21. conquerours and thence it is that Principalities and Powers cannot separate vs from the loue of God And as by this constant loue of God we are constantly and safely preserued from separation and Apostasie so let our constant saftie ever acknowledge this constant loue and purpose of God to bee the cause of it But both this safetie and the cause of this safetie the teachers of Apostasie doe denie so robbing God of the glory of mans stabilitie and robbing man of the safetie and stabilitie which hee hath from God Finally that yet wee may know our selues to be fully and finally safe the blessed Apostle is not contented to speake of safetie from separation and Apostacie onely in the present time but he denies Apostacie beth by future things and in the future time Nor things present nor things to come c. shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God Behold a finall and full perseuerance in safetie for things present cannot separate vs and things to come shall not be able to separate vs yea no other creature that is nothing can separate vs and therefore not the Arminians A third way by which our Church in this Article doth teach Certaintie of Saluation is this shee saith that the consideration of Election doth establish in the Saints a Faith of their saluation to bee enioyed through Christ. For the Saint finding in himselfe the mortification and vivification of the Spirit hence ascendeth vp to the knowledge view and consideration of his Election and from this constant Election hath a stable and sure Faith that hee shall enioy eternall saluation in Christ. Now from hence plainly issueth this argument That saluation is certaine whereof there is an established Faith But there is an established Faith of the Saluation of of the Saints Therefore the Saluation of the Saints is certaine The first proposition cleareth it selfe by its owne light For there is not an established Faith of vncertaine and fallible things but of certaine Yea if there were no other word but the word of Faith this Faith presumeth and pâ—…esupposeth a certaine and infallible truth for the obiect of it and consequently in this place a certaine and infallible saluation of the Saints The second proposition is raysed plainly out of the words of the Article For the consideration of Election is there said vpon the view of Sanctification to establish a Faith of Saluation to be enjoyed Wherefore I may conclude in the words of the ninth Article There is no condemnation to them that beleeue and are baptized Which the Article of Ireland thus resembleth Howsoeuer for Christs sake there be no condemnation Num. 34. to such as are regenerate and doe beleeue The first of which is a position of our Sauiour They that beleeue and be baptized shall be saued They Mark 16. 16. are not onely now in the state of Saluation but they shall hereafter be saued for hee that beleeueth shall not Ioh. 5. 24. see condemnation And the other resteth on the saying of Saint Paul who saith that to the Saints there is no condemnation For the Law of the Spirit of life which Rom. 3. is in Christ Iesus freeth a Saint from the law of sinne and death Now if a Saint bee free from death who can make him a bondslaue of death This were flatly to affirme that which the Apostle denyes both here and else-where Wee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to Rom. 8. 15. feare againe but the spirit of Adoption by which wee cry Abba Father And if a sonne then no more a seruant Behold Saint Paul saith wee haue not receiued the spirit Psal. 46. 7. to feare againe who then dares to put vpon the Saints a spirit of bondage to feare againe and Saint Paul saith by the Spirit of God If a sonne then no more a seruant And how dares flesh and blood to say if a sonne yet againe a seruant But let vs stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free neither let vs againe be intangled with the yoke of bondage Let vs say with Saint Paul once a sonne and no more a seruant once a sonne and a sonne for euer And indeed Christ himselfe saith That a sonne abides in the house Ioh. 9. 35. for euer onely let vs remember that therefore we are deliuered from this feare and house of bondage That Luk. 1. 74. being deliuered from our enemies wee might serue God without feare In holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our liues Our safety is giuen vs mainly 1 Ioh. 3. 3. for an incouragement to holinesse For hee that hath this hope purgeth himselfe as God is pure And now that it may appeare that I haue not wrested a priuate sense out of these publike Articles let vs see whether the same truth hath not beene publikly taught by others There is a worke formerly alledged which hath this Title The Faith Doctrine and Religion professed and protested in the Realme of England and Dominions of the same expressed in thirtie nine Articles the said Articles analysed into propositions c. This worke was made by a Chaplaine of Doctor Bancroft late Archbishop of Canterbury and to his Grace Dedicated But it is well knowne Arch-bishop Bancroft did not fauour any Puritanicall or Schismaticall Doctrine neither is it to be thought that his Chaplaine would or durst offer any such vnto him Neither is it to be beleeued that he would be so shamelesse as to say to the same Arch-bishop in his Dedicatorie Epistle That these Propositions shee that is the Church of England publikely maintaineth if there had beene any Puritanicall Doctrine maintained in them Now this Writer hauing raysed a Proposition vpon these words of the seuenteenth Article constantly decreed he inferreth Wander then doe they from the truth which thinke That the Regenerate may fall from the Grace of God may destroy the Temple of God and be broken off from the 〈◊〉 Christ Iesus The same Doctrine is proued by other Articles more plainely and punctually vnfolding what was in the former Articles truly and really contained though not so manifoldly